Madame Cactus Gets Up in Final Strides to Win 15th Lexus Raven Run

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LEXINGTON, KY (Oct. 19, 2013) – Mr. and Mrs. Marc Ferrell’s Madame Cactus, who drew into the race off the also-eligible list because of two scratches, collared Eden Prairie in the final strides to win the 15th running of the $250,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2) for 3-year-old fillies by a neck before a crowd of 19,196 on a brisk and overcast Saturday afternoon at Keeneland.

Trained by Peter Eurton and ridden by Joe Rocco Jr., Madame Cactus raced in the third tier of a tightly bunched field in the run down the backstretch as Turn by Turn led the way through fractions of :22.17 and :44.67.

Approaching the head of the stretch, Eden Prairie moved alongside Turn by Turn and took command in the upper stretch. Madame Cactus, who had started from post 14 and was wide on the backstretch, moved widest of all into the stretch and got up in the final yards to complete the seven furlongs on the fast main track in 1:21.71.

It was the first Keeneland stakes victory for Eurton and the second for Rocco.

A Kentucky-bred daughter of Cactus Ridge out of the Mecke mare An Annika Moment, Madame Cactus notched her first graded stakes victory and improved her record to 6-3-2-0. She increased her bankroll to $325,800 with Saturday’s $150,000 check.

Madame Cactus returned $25.40, $12.60 and $8.60. Eden Prairie, ridden by Robby Albarado, returned $10 and $7.60 with My Option finishing a neck by in third under Eddie Perez and returning $3.80 to show.

Ciao Bella Luna finished 2½ lengths back in fourth and was followed in order by Irish Lute, Fully Living, Primed for Passion, Elusive Fate, favored Silsita, Sittin At the Bar, Jewel of a Cat, Turn by Turn, Finding More and Thetaloveandmine. Plenty O’Toole and Lighthouse Bay were scratched.

Racing continues Sunday with a nine-race program that begins at 1:05 p.m. (ET). Highlighting the card is the $125,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager for fillies and mares going 1½ miles on the turf. Slated as the eighth race, post time for the Rood & Riddle Dowager is 4:49 p.m.